Turret device for electric circuits



Jan. 15, 1963 L. c. HEDRICK TURRET DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS FiledOct. 20, 1958 INVENTOR. LANGDON C-HEDRICK BY BUCKHORN, CHEATHAM & BLOREATTORNEKY FIG.3

United States Patent 3,074,011 TURRET DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITSLangdon C. Hfilllfik, Portland, 0reg., assignor to Tel:- tronix, 1116.,Portland, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Filed Oct. 20, 1958, Ser- No.768,191 Claims. (Cl. 323-44) This invention relates to a turret devicefor electric circuits and more particularly to a device in which thecomponents of a plurality of separate electric circuits are carried by arotor in a manner which enables the rotor to be indexed to selectivelyconnect any one of such circuits into an external circuit and in whichthe rotor is easily removed and disassembled for inspection or repair.

In accordance with the present invention, the rotor of the turret deviceis made up of an annular central structure and a pair of circular endmembers. The annular structure has axially extending bores or aperturescontaining circuit components and provides a hollow interior for thereception of additional circuit components. In the preferredconstruction, the rotor is slidable laterally of its central axis intoposition between journal elements forming part of a stationary frame.The journal elements hold the various parts of the rotor in assembledposition by preventing axial separation of the end members.

The frame also carries a detent mechanism adjacent one end of the rotorand separate therefrom and a rotor shaft is rot-atively received'in thejournal elements of the frame but is nonrotatively received in the endmembers of the rotor and also in the detent mechanism. The shaft,however, is slidable axially of itself in the journal elements and alsoin the end members of the rotor and in the detent mechanism so as to beremovable from the frame and rotor by a movement axially of the shaft.The annular structure carries a plurality of circumferentially spacedcontacts which selectively engage stationary contacts carried by theframe for connecting the individual electric circuits, such asattenuator circuits, into an external circuit. The stationary contactsare all on one side of the rotor so that the rotor may be removed fromthe frame by a motion laterally of its axis away from such contactsafter the shaft has been removed by a motion axially of such shaft.

The specific construction of the annular structure disclosed hereinincludes annular portions having a plurality of circumferentially spacedaxial extending bores, certain of which contain adjustable capacitorseach including a cylindrical sleeve of conducting material and a plungerof conducting material separated from the sleeve by a layer ofinsulating material. Provision is made for ad justing the plungersaxially of the sleeves and holding such plungers in adjusted position.In the specific embodiment shown, the sleeves referred to have radiallyextending portions at one end thereof which provide the contacts on therotor above referred to, and which also provide connecting elements forcircuit components positioned within the rotor. The adjusting mechanismfor the plungers preferably include spring elements engaging screwthreads upon plunger stems of reduced diameter, the spring elements alsobeing employed for making connections to other circuit components.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved turret device for electric circuits in which a rotor forming apart thereof can be easily removed and disassembled for inspection andservice and as easily reassembled and reinstalled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret device in which arotor made up of a central annular structure and circular end members isheld in assembled position by being placed between journal members ofthe frame of the device and in which a shaft is inserted 3,074,111 1Patented Jan. 15, 1953 through such rotor and journal members forrotatably mounting such rotor in the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turret device forelectric circuits in which separate electric circuits includingadjustable capacitors form part of a rotor and such adjustablecapacitors are accessible for adjustment through the ends of the rotor.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustablecapacitor structure particularly suitable for a turret device in whichannular members of insulating material have axial extending borescircumferentially spaced therein and in which sleeves of conductingmaterials are positioned in such bores and plungers of conductingmaterial are positioned in such sleeves and separated therefrom by alayer of insulating material and are adjustable axially of such sleeves.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention givenin connection with the attached drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the turret device of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1showing the detent mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 303 of FIG.1 showing the bearing structure and part of the detent structure at thedetent end of the device;

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1showing the structure of the rotor and the central portion of the frame;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 55of FIG. 1 showing rotor structure with the internal components of FIG. 4omitted;

FIG. 6 is an axial section through an end member of the rotor of FIGS. 1and 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary radial section on an enlarged scale of theannular members of the rotor showing the adjustable capacitor structureof the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7 and showingone of the spring clips providing for axial adjustment of the plunger ofthe capacitor of FIG. 7 and providing for electrical connection to suchcapacitor;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken on the line99 of FIG. 4 showing the details of a stationary contact; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a typical attenuator circuit which mayform one of the circuits of the turret device of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device of the presentinvention includes a frame indicated generally at 20 in FIGS. 1 to 4, arotor indicated generally at 22 in FIGS. 1 and 4, a detent structureindicated generally at 24 in FIGS. 1 to 3, an axially slidable shaft 26shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 for supporting the rotor 22 in the frame 20 and astationary contact structure 28 shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 9.

The frame 20 is of U-shaped construction having a central portion 30extending axially of the rotor 22 and spaced front and rear legs 32 and34, respectively. The front leg 32 is provided with a bearing member 36,shown most clearly in FIG. 3, for receiving the shaft 26, the bearingmember being suitably secured in an aperture in the leg 32 by anysuitable means, such as soldering or brazing. The bearing member 36 hasits end remote from the rotor 22 screw-threaded to provide for mountingthe torrent device in an aperture in a panel 38 by means of a nut 40screw-threaded on the bearing member. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper endof the leg 32 has an axially extending tab 42 extending into anotheraperture in the panel 38 to orient the turret device and preventrotation of the frame 26 with respect to the panel 38. The bearingmember 36 has an axially extending sleeve portion 43 shown inFIG. 3,extending toward the rotor 22. The sleeve portion 43 is received in acircular recess 44 in a detent wheel 46 forming part of the detentmechanism 24 so as to rotatively support the detent wheel. The portionof the shaft 26 which extends through the bearing member 36 is circularbut the remainder of the shaft 26 is flattened as shown most clearly inFIGS. 2 and 4. The flattened portion of the shaft is received within amatching central opening 48 in the detent wheel 46- so that both theshaft 26 and the detent wheel 46 are rotatably supported by the bearingmember 36 and the detent wheel 46 is constrained to turn with the shaft26.

The detent mechanism 24- also includes a pivoted detent element 50 shownmost clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such detent element has one end pivotedto the leg 32 of the frame 20 by a pivot 52' and has its other end urgedtoward the detent wheel 46 by a tension spring S i-connected betweensuch other end and a tab 56 carried by the upper end of the leg 32 andextending axially toward the rotor 22. The detent element 50 carries aroller 58 which is intermediate its ends positioned to engage in notches60 in the periphery of the detent wheel 46. It will be apparent that theshaft 26 is selectively held in any one of a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced positions by the detent mechanism justdescribed. 7

The rotor 22 includes an annular structure made up of two' annular endmembers 62 and 64 of insulating material held in axial alignment andspaced from each other by a central metal band 66 engagingin annularnotches 68 and 70 in the outer peripheries of the adjacent edges of theend members 62 and 64, respectively. The rotor 22 also includes a pairof similar circular end members 72 which are ofsomewhat greater diameterthan the annular members 62 and 64 and which are provided with aplurality of spaced axially extending projections 74 which engage overthe outer cylindrical surfaces ofthe annular members 62 adjacent theirouter ends so as to hold the end members 72 in axial alignment with theannular members 62 and 64. As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, the annularmembers 62 and 64 are provided with a plurality of axially extendingvcircumferentially spaced aligned bores 76, and also the end members 72have axially extending bores 80 which may be aligned with the bores 76.The ends of the annular members 62 and 64, which are remote from eachother, are provided with a plurality of radially extending notches 82,as shown most clearly in FIG. 5, such notches each being aligned withand extending transversely across the end of one of the bores 76.Alternate one of certain of the bores '76 in each of the annuuar members62 and 64 are provided with an internal metallic sleeve 84. The sleeveseach have a cylindrical body fitting in one of the bores and have at oneend a radially outwardly extending contact member 86 and a radiallyinwardly extending connecting and circuit component supporting element88. The contact elements .86 and connecting elements 88 are received inthe radially extending notches 82 and at least the outwardly extendingcontact elements fit such notches. The projections 74 on the end members72 alternately engage the contact elements 86 so that the end membersare restrained against rotation relative to the annular members 62 and64.

The cylindrical sleeves 84 in alternate bores 76 in the annular members62 or 64 each form part of an adjustable capacitor structure, includinga metallic plunger 90 covered by a film or layer of insulating material92' and received within each of the sleeves .84. Each plunger 90 has anaxially extending screw-threaded stem 94 of smaller diameter extendinginto and at least partially through an aligned bore 76 in the otherannular member. 'Each screw-threaded stem 94, as shown most clearly inPIGS. 7 and 8, is engaged by a U-shaped spring clip 96 extendingradially of the rotor 22 and positioned in a radially extending bore inthe annular member 62 or 64 as the case may be. Such spring clips 96engage the screw-threads upon the stems 94 of the plungers 9t) so thatrotation of a plunger by means of screwdriver slots in the ends thereofaxially adjusts such plunger in the associated sleeve 84, the ends ofthe plunger being accessible through the bore 83 in the end members 72.The spring members 96 also constitute connecting and circuit componentsupporting members, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a resistor 98may be connected between the inner radial extremity of a spring clip 96and a connecting element 88' forming part of a metallic sleeve 84 and asalso illustrated in FIG. 7, the outer radial extremity of a spring clip96 may be soldered to the central metal band 66 of the rotor structure72 by a soldered connection indicated at 100 in FIG. 7.

In general, the adjustable capacitors will be arranged alternately inreverse directions in the two annular members 62 and 64. That is to say,one adjustable capacitor will have its sleeve and plunger in a bore 76in an annular member 62 and the next ci-rcumferentially spacedadjusttable capacitor will have its plunger and sleeve in a bore 76 inthe annular member 64. The spring clips96 extending through the annularmembers 76 will, in general, all have their outer radial extremitiessoldered to the metal band 66 as indicated at 100 in both FIGS. 7 and 1,while, in general, the springclips 96 extending through the annularmembers 62 will be axially spaced from the metal ring 66. With thisarrangement, adjustable capacitors having their plungers and sleeves inthe annular member 64 will not be'directly connected to the metal band66 but those having their plungers 90 and sleeves 84 in the annularmembers 62 will be directly connected to such metal band. The metal bandmay for certain of the circuits have additional fixed capacitors 102(FIG. 4) of the wafer type inserted therein and connected to anadjustable capacitor and to such metal band and for the same or othercircuits fixed capacitors 104 may be positioned within the interior ofthe rotor 22.

The metal band 66 may constitute a common or grounding connection andfor this purpose, the central portion 30 of the frame has a plurality ofspring brush elements 106 suitably secured thereto. The brush ele-.ments-ll6 have free ends in contact with a portion of the metallic band66 opposite the soldered connections 1% and nearest the detent end ofthe device. The stationary structure 28 includes a plate 168 ofinsulating material secured to the central portion Bit of the frame 20and extending substantially tangentially of the rotor22 but spacedradially therefrom. The plate 108 may carry a pair of contactingengaging elements 116 constituting stationary contacts, one of suchstationary contacts being in alignment with the radially extendingcontact elements 86 carried by the sleeves 84 in the annular member 62and the other stationary contact element 110- being in alignment withthe radially extending contact elements 86 carried by the sleeves 84 inthe annular member 64. Upon rotation of the rotor 22, the variouscontact elements 86 engage the stationary contacts 110 and suchstationary contacts 11%) are so positioned that a contact element 86 ofthe rotor is in contact with each of the stationary contacts 116 in anyoperative angular position of the rotor. An electric circuit isconnected between the two contact elements 86 in engagement with thastationary contacts 110 and such electric circuit may also include aconnection to the band 66. The present turret device was developed toprovide an improved step attenuator for. the input circuit of anoscilloscope and a typical attenuator circuit for a high qualityoscilloscope having frequency compensation is illustrated in'FIG. 10.The two adjustable capacitors shown therein may be of the type havingthe sleeve 84 and adjustable plunger 90 therein, while the resistors maybe resistors 98 positioned in the interior of the rotor and the fixedcapacitor may be either one of the wafer capacitors 1%2 or a capacitor104 positioned within the interior of the rotor. The two contactelements 86 are indiacted as arrow points in the circuit of FIG. and theground connection of such circuit may be made through the metallic ring66.

The end members 72 are provided with flattened central openings 112(FIG. 6) receiving the flattened portion of the shaft 26 so that therotor 22 is constrained to turn with the shaft 26. Such end members 72have axially projecting hub members 114 of which one engages the leg 34-of frame 29 and the other engages the hub of the detent wheel 46. Suchhub of the detent wheel in turn engages the bearing member 36 carried bythe leg 32 of the frame 2t). The engagement of the hub members 114 withthe leg 34 and the detent wheel 46 retains the end members 72 of therotor in position relative to the annular members 62 and 64 and alsoretains the annular members 62 and 64 in engagement with the metallicring 66 so that rotor 22 is maintained in assembled relation by theframe 29. The shaft 26 may, however, be pulled completely out of theturret device by grasping the knob 116 thereon to free the rotor 22. Therotor may then be slipped transversely of the device away from the brushelements 166 and stationary contact elements 110. This frees the rotorfrom the frame and the end members 72 may then be removed from theannular structure to expose the annular members 62 and 70 so that thecircuit components associated with the rotor are accessibleforinspection or replacement. Upon replacement of the end members inproper position with respect to the annular members 62 and 64, the motor22 may be again placed into position in the'frame 2t and the shaft 26reinserted. It will be apparent that the removing and replacing of therotor 22 does not disturb the detent mechanism 24, since the detentwheel 46 remains in position on the bearing member 36 attached to theframe. The adjustable capacitors made up of the sleeves 84 in the bores76 and the plungers 9t covered with a layer of insulating material, areaccessible from either end of the turret when the turret is assembledand is either in position in the frame or is out of the frame.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it isunderstood that the details thereof may be varied and that the scope ofthe invention is to be determined by the following claims.

I claim:

V 1. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor includingan annular structure, circular end members closing the ends of saidstructure, and frame means including journal means adjacent each end ofsaid rotor for mounting said rotor for rotation relative to said framemeans about the axis of said rotor, said rotor being slidable laterallyof said axis in said frame to provide for moving said rotor intoposition between said journal means to provide for removing said rotorfrom said frame, said journal means holding said'end members againstaxial movement away from said annular structure when said rotor is inposition between said journal members, said device including a shaftslidably axially through said bearing means and said rotor to providefor removing said shaft from and reinserting said shaft into saiddevice, said shaft being rotatable in said journal means andnonrotatively received in said end members of said rotor, a plurality ofcircuit components positioned in the interior of said annular structureand connected to form a plurality of electric circuits, rotor contactscarried by said annular structure for each of said circuits andcircumferentially spaced around said annular structure, stationarycontacts carried by said frame for engagement by said rotor contacts toprovide external connections for said circuits, said stationary contactsbeing positioned on one side of said rotor so that said rotor can beremoved from and reinserted into said frame when said shaft is removedfrom said frame and so that said circuit components are accessible uponremoval of said end members from said annular structure.

2. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor including anannular structure, circular end members closing the ends of said annularstructure, and frame means including journal means adjacent each end ofsaid rotor for mounting said rotor for rotation relative to said framemeans about the axis of said rotor, said rotor being slidable laterallyof said axis in said frame to provide for moving said rotor intoposition between said journal means and provide for removing said rotorfrom said frame, said journal means holding said end members againstaxial movement away from said annular structure when said rotor is inposition between said journal means, a detent mechanism including adetent wheel carried by said frame adjacent one end of said rotor, saiddevice including a shaft slidably axially through said bearing means andthrough said detent wheel and said rotor to provide for removing saidshaft from and reinserting said shaft into said device, said shaft beingrotatable in said journal means and nonrotatively received in said endmembers of said rotor and in said detent wheel, a plurality of circuitcomponents positioned in the interior of said annular structure andconnected into a plurality of separate electric circuits, rotor contactscarried by said annular structure for each of said circuits andcircumferentially spaced around said annular structure, stationarycontacts carried by said frame for engagement by said rotor contacts toprovide external connections for said circuits, said stationary contactsbeing positioned on one side of said rotor so that said rotor can beremoved from and reinserted into said frame separately from said detentmechanism when said shaft is removed from said frame and so that saidcircuit components are accessible upon removal of said end members fromsaid annular structure.

3. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a ro' tor includingan annular structure, circular end members closing the ends of saidstructure, and frame means including journal means adjacent each end ofsaid rotor for mounting said rotor for rotation relative to said framemeans about the axis of said rotor, said rotor being slidable laterallyof said axis in said frame to provide for moving said rotor intoposition between said journal means and for removing said rotor fromsaid frame, said journal means holding said end members against axialmovement away from said annular structure when said rotor is in positionbetween said journal members, said device including a shaft slidab-lyaxially through said bearing means and said rotor to provide forremoving said shaft from and reinserting said shaft into said device,said shaft being rotatable in said journal means and nonrotativelyreceived in said end member of said rotor, a plurality of circuitcomponents positioned in the interior of said annular structure, saidannular structure having a plurality of circumferentially spaced axiallyextending bores therein containing adjustable capacitors, saidcapacitors and said components being connected in a plurality ofseparate electric circuits, rotor contacts carried by said annularstructure for each of said circuits and circumferentially spaced aroundsaid annular structure, stationary contacts carried by said frame forengagement by said rotor contacts to provide external connections forsaid circuits, said stationary contacts being positioned on one side ofsaid rotor so that said rotor can be removed from and reinserted in saidframe when said shaft is removed from said frame and so that saidcircuit components are accessible upon removal of said end members fromsaid annular structure.

4. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor including anannular structure and circular end mem bers closing the ends of saidstructure, frame means including journal means for mounting said rotorfor rotation relative to said frame means about the axis of said rotor,said structure including a portion of insulating material having aplurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending bores adjacentthe periphery of said rotor, a plurality of adjustable capacitors eachincluding a sleeve of conducting material in one of said bores and aplunger of conducting material in said sleeve, said plunger beingmovable axially of said sleeve and being separated from said sleeve by alayer of insulating material, adjustable means accessible through saidend members for axially adjusting each of said plungers, fixedcapacitors and resistors positioned within said structure and connectedwith said adjustable capacitors to provide a plurality of separateelectric circuits, means to index said rotor to selected positions,fixed contacts carried by said frame, and rotor contacts carried by saidsleeves and extending radially outwardly of said rotor, said rotorcontacts being circumferentially spaced around said rotor for engagingsaid fixed contacts to provide external connections for one of saidcircuits in each of said positions.

5. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor including anannular structure and circular end members closing the ends of saidstructure, frame means including journal means for mounting said rotorfor rotation relative to said frame means about the axis of said rotor,said structure including a portion of insulating material having aplurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending bores adjacentthe periphery of said rotor, a plurality of adjustable capacitors eachincluding a sleeve of conducting material in one of said bores and aplunger of conducting material in said sleeve separated from said sleeveby a layer of insulating material, said plunger being movable axially ofsaid sleeve, adjustable means for axially adjusting each of saidplungers, fixed capacitors and resistors positioned within saidstructure and connected with said adjustable capacitor-s to provide aplurality of separate electric circuits, means a to index said rotor toselected positions, fixed contacts carried by said frame, and contactscarried by said rotor and circumferentially spaced around said rotor forengaging saidfixed contacts to provide external connections for one ofsaid circuit-s in each of said positions.

6. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor including anannular structure and circular end members closing the ends of saidstructure, frame means including journal means for mounting said rotorfor rotation relative to said frame means about the axis of said rotor,said structure including a pair of annular elements of insulatingmaterial axially spaced from each other and each having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially extendng bores adjacent the peripheryof said rotor, an external band of conducting material extending betweensaid annular elements and connecting said annular elemets together, saidbores in said annular elements being axially aligned with each other, aplurality of adjustable capacitors each includinga sleeve of conductingmaterial in a bore in one of said annular elements and a plunger ofconducting material in said sleeve, said plunger being movable axiallyof said sleeve and being separated from said sleeve by a layer ofinsulating material, adjustable means in an aligned bore in the other ofsaid annular elements for axially adjusting each of said plungers, fixedcapacitors and resistors positioned Within said structure and connectedwith said adjustable capacitors to provide a plurality of separateelectric circuits, means to index said rotor to selected positions,fixed contacts carried'by said frame, contacts carried by said rotor andcircumferentially spaced around said rotor for engaging said fixedcontacts to provide external connections for one of said circuits ineach of said positions, and a contact carried by said frame and engagingsaid band to provide another external connection for said circuits.

7. A turret attenuator comprising a rotor including an annular structureand circular end members closing the ends of said structure, frame meansincluding journal means for mounting said rotor for rotation relative to'said vframe means about theaxis of said rotor, said structure includinga portion of insulating material having a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced axially extending bores adjacent the periphery of said rotor, aplurality of adjustable capacitors each including a sleeve of conducting material in one of said bores and a plunger of conducting materialin said sleeve, said plunger being movable axially of said sleeve andbeing separated from said sleeve by a layer of insulating material,adjustable means for axially adjusting each of said plungers, fixedcapacitors and resistors positioned within said structure and connectedwith said adjustable capacitors to provide a plurality of separateattenuation circuits, means to index said rotor to selected positions,fixed contacts carried by said frame, and contacts carried by saidsleeves and extending radially from said rotor, said rotor contactsbeing circumferentially spaced around said rotor for engaging said fixedcontacts to provide external connections for one of said circuits ineach of said positions.

8. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor element ofinsulating material having an axially extending bore therein radiallyspaced from the axis of said rotor element, a sleeve of conductingmaterial in said bore and a plunger of conducting material in saidsleeve, said plunger being movable axially of said sleeve and beingseparated from said sleeve by a layer of insulating material, andscrew-threaded means for axially adjusting said plunger relative to saidsleeve in order to vary the capacitance of the adjustable capacitorformed 'by said sleeve, said layer, and said plunger.

9. A turret device for electric circuits comprising a rotor element ofinsulating material having a plurality of axially extending borestherein radially spaced from the axis of said rotor element, a sleeve ofconducting mate- 'rial in each of said bores and a plunger of conductingmaterial and a layer of insulating material in each of said sleeves,said plungers being movable axially of said sleeves and each beingseparated from its respective sleeve by one of said layers of insulatingmaterial, and adjustable means for axially moving each of said plungersrelative to its respective sleeve in order to vary the capacitance ofthe adjustable capacitor formed by said sleeve, said layer, and saidplunger.

'10. A switch member containing a plurality of variable capacitors forconnection into an electrical circuit at different times according tothe position of said member with respect to the contact terminals ofsaid circuit, comprising:

an annular body of insulating material having a plurality of axiallyextending bores therein which are positioned radially from the axis ofsaid body and circumferentially spaced from each other,

a plurality of sleeves of conducting material positioned in said boresand having switch contacts connected thereto,

a plunger rod of conducting material mounted in each of said sleeves foraxial movement with respect to said sleeves,

a layer of insulating ma'terial'positioned between each of said sleevesand the portion of each of said plunger rods which moves within saidsleeves to form a plurality of variable capacitors with said rods andsaid sleeves, and

means for moving each of said plunger rods axially relative to thesleeve within which it is mounted to vary thecapacitance of saidvariable capacitors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,324,792 Booth Dec. 16, 1919 2,430,488 Wilhelm Nov. 11, 1947 2,595,194Heibell Apr. 29, 1952 2,607,826 Barnes Aug. 19, 1952 2,786,976 RoemerMar. 26, 1957 2,954,518 Dugot Sept. 27, 1960

1. A TURRET DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS COMPRISING A ROTOR INCLUDING ANANNULAR STRUCTURE, CIRCULAR END MEMBERS CLOSING THE ENDS OF SAIDSTRUCTURE, AND FRAME MEANS INCLUDING JOURNALS MEANS ADJACENT EACH END OFSAID ROTOR FOR MOUNTING SAID ROTOR FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID FRAMEMEANS ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID ROTOR, SAID ROTOR BEING SLIDABLE LATERALLYOF SAID AXIS IN SAID FRAME TO PROVIDE FOR MOVING SAID ROTOR INTOPOSITION BETWEEN SAID JOURNAL MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR REMOVING SAID ROTORFROM SAID FRAME, SAID JOURNAL MEANS HOLDING SAID END MEMBERS AGAINSTAXIAL MOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID ANNULAR STRUCTURE WHEN SAID ROTOR IS INPOSITION BETWEEN SAID JOURNAL MEMBERS, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING A SHAFTSLIDABLY AXIALLY THROUGH SAID BEARING MEANS AND SAID ROTOR TO PROVIDEFOR REMOVING SAID SHAFT FROM AND REINSERTING SAID SHAFT INTO SAIDDEVICE, SAID SHAFT BEING ROTATABLE IN SAID JOURNAL MEANS ANDNONROTATIVELY RECEIVED IN SAID END MEMBERS OF SAID ROTOR, A PLURALITY OFCIRCUIT COMPONENTS POSITIONED IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID ANNULAR STRUCTUREAND CONNECTED TO FORM A PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS, ROTOR CONTACTSCARRIED BY SAID ANNULAR STRUCTURE FOR EACH OF SAID CIRCUITS ANDCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AROUND SAID ANNULAR STRUCTURE, STATIONARYCONTACTS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID ROTOR CONTACTS TOPROVIDE EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS FOR SAID CIRCUITS, SAID STATIONARY CONTACTSBEING POSITIONED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID ROTOR SO THAT SAID ROTOR CAN BEREMOVED FROM AND REINSERTED INTO SAID FRAME WHEN SAID SHAFT IS REMOVEDFROM SAID FRAME AND SO THAT SAID CIRCUIT COMPONENTS ARE ACCESSIBLE UPONREMOVAL OF SAID END MEMBERS FROM SAID ANNULAR STRUCTURE.